de foresta



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. F. DE FORESTA.

GAB. BRAKE.

No. 410,881. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

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(No Model.) a sheets-sheet 2.

P. F. DE FORESTA.

l GAR BRAKE. No. 410,881. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 sneets-sheet s.

P. F. DE FORESTA.

GAR BRAKE.

PafentedSept. 10, 1889.

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Fig. 9 shows a modification.

plan, of a portion of a railway-train.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE..

PIETRO F. DE FORESTA, OF FLORENCE, ITALY.

CAR-BRAKE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,881, dated September 10, 1889. Application filed July 18, 1889. `Serial No. 317,872. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, PIETRO FRANCESCO DE FORESTA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Florence, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented a new and useful Improved Brake Apparatus for usel on Railways and Tramways, of which the following` is a specification.

My invention has for its object an improved brake apparatus for use on railways and tra1nways, and which is arranged in such a manner that when caused to operate the entire train or the tram-car shall be raised or elevated above the rails by means of brakeblocks allowed to fall upon and bite such rails, thereby arresting further motion of the train or the tram-car, said brake-blocks being under the control of the driver and capable of being rapidly restored or raised to their normal position to allow the train or the tramcar to descend again upon the rails and be ready to continue its journey.

My invention Will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying drawings, which show one mode of carrying out the same.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a In the latter figure the under framing only of the locomotive and carriages is shown. Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe right-hand end of the locomotive; Fig. 4, an end view of the same; and Fig. 5 a section on the 4line @c Fig. 3. The above figures show the brakes in their fallen position and the train lifted from the rails. Fig. 6 shows the position the parts assume when the brakes are raised. Figs. 7 and S show mechanism applied to a carriage or a tender for retaining the brakes in the raised position when uncoupling is to be effected. Fig. 10 shows means for raising the brake-blocks by hand when applied to tram-cars. Figs. 3 to 9 are drawn to an enlarged scale.

a is the locomotive. b b are carriages coupled to the same in any ordinary Way.

c c are the brake-blocks, which are arranged in pairs at the front and rear of each carh riage and of the locomotive, as shown at Fig. 4. They are carried by arms or supports d, and are connected, by means of chains e, to a winding-drum f.

Standing out from each brake-block is an arm c', Whose outer end is connected by a tie-rod c3 to the correspon-ding arm c of the brake-block on the opposite si'de.

Powerful springs g, carried by the tie-rods c3 and 7L, cause the brake-blocks to turn on t`ieir axes and to descend and firmly bear on {'o The under side the rails, and by thus acting as levers raising or elevating the entire train. of each brake-block is covered with vulcanized rubber cx, or other suitable material, for causing the blocks to firmly bite the rails. There is also a flange c4 on the inner side of each block, which comes against the side of the rails when the blocks are lowered and keeps them in position on the rails.

j is an auxiliary cylinder, operated by steam taken from the boiler, for working the Winding-drum, which, when turned, winds up the chains upon it and raises the brake-blocks into the position shown by Fig. 6.

A pawl Z, engaging with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel I, mounted on the axis of the drum, retains the brake-blocks in their raised position. Should it be desired to cause the brakes to act, the pawl Z is lifted by means of the lever Z2, and the springs g, being no longer prevented from contracting, bring the brake-blocks firmly down upon the rails, their combined power being sufficient to raise the entire train above the rails.

m is a concussion-spring, one extremity of which is connected by a chain m to the Winding-drum f and the other to the under framing of the locomotive. This spring is provided in order that when the brake-blocks are released from their raised position their too sudden fall shall be prevented and the passengers relieved from sudden jolting; but instead of using the concussion-spring 111,1 may allow steam to enter the auxiliary cylinder j at the time of releasing the brakes, and in this Way regulate the too sudden falling of the brake-blocks.

n is a ratchet-Wheel carried by one of the brakeblocksof each carriage and capable of turning With it, and ois a pawl engaging with the same. When. it becomes necessary to uncouple any of the carriages, the pawl 0 is turned into the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 7 and prevents the brake-blocks from falling. When the carriages are coupled up again, this pawl is turned into the position shown by the dotted lines. Aspring-catch o coming beneath the nose ofthe pawl prevents the said pawl from inadvertently engaging with the 1'atclietwl1eel when the train is running.

Fig. 9 shows a modification in which the arm c is dispensed with and one end of the springs g connected to the brake-blocks at p and their other ends to the arm q, there being a corresponding arm on the other side and a tie-bar between them.

lVhen applying my improved brake apparatus to t1'an1cars,l so arrange the same as to enable the driver to raise the brake-blocks by hand, as shown by Fig. l0, in which is an axis carrying at its lower end a beVeLWheel y, gearing with another bevel-wheel y on the axis of the winding-drumf, so that on turning the handle .11 the drumis caused to wind up the chain e and so raise the brake-blocks. As in the previous arrangement, the disengaging of a pawl from the teeth of a ratchetwheel on the drum releases the drum and allows the brake-blocks to fall; or the arrangement hereinbefore described and worked by steam may be retained and be worked by compressed air, or when steam is used to drive the ear the apparatus may be worked by steam.

My improved brake apparatus is not intended to replace the existing brakes, although it may be used in place thereof, but as an extra means of effectual] y and rapidly stopping the train or tram-car.

Having fully described my invention whatl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The improved brake apparatus, which consists of spring impelled brake -blocks adapted to descend upon and bite the rails of a railway, and suitable mechanism for withdrawing said brake-blocks, substantially as described.

2. The frictionally-faced brake-blocks c, having' flanges cA1 and projecting arms c', in combination with springs g, tending to forcibly press said brake-blocks onto the rails and so elevate the train or tram-car and arrest its further progress, substantially as described.

3. In combination with friction brakeblocks, the mechanism for applying said brake-blocks to the rails, consisting of awinding-drum f, carrying a ratchet-wheel I, and upon which chains c, leading from the brakeblocks, are wound to raise said blocks, a pawl Z', having a hand-lever Z2, engaging with, said ratchet wheel, and means actuating such mechanism, substantially as described.

i. The combination, with the friction brakeblocks, the winding-drum j", and a chain connecting said blocks and drum,ot an anti-concussive spring m, one end of which is connected, by means of a chain m', to said winding-drum and the other end to the under framing of the locomotive, substantially as described.

5. ln combination with the brake-blocks, the means for retaining said brake-blocks in their raised position when the vehicles are to be unconpled, consisting of the ratchet-wheel n, pawl o, and spring-catch o', for keeping said pawlout of the teeth ot the ratchet-wheel when the vehicles are running, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PIETRO F. DE FORESTA.

Witnesses:

1I. A. NoRRIs, PERCY WooDWARn. 

